The Compleat Angler

 

A pastoral discourse on the joys and stratagems of fishing, this is one of the most frequently reprinted books in English literature. Since the late 18th century more than 300 editions have appeared as the name Walton became known everywhere in the land. Walton’s attractive style in dialogue and description, his enthusiasm for innocent outdoor recreation and his genial partiality for the past have lifted this work out of the category of handbooks into great literature. Walton explores in sometimes whimsical, sometimes philosophical fashion matters touching upon his great pastime; he includes anecdotes, songs, descriptions of fish and their habitats, and most beautifully the countryside where he fished.